HELENA – Governor Steve Bullock and Montana Department of Commerce Director Meg O’Leary today announced the award of $281,519 in Big Sky Film grants to support the production of 21 new film and multimedia projects taking place in Montana.

“There are so many talented media makers doing business and creating valuable content in Montana,” said Bullock. “They are part of a growing industry that impacts many Montana communities and I am glad we can support these efforts that showcase all our state has to offer.”

HELENA, MT – Governor Steve Bullock and Montana Department of Commerce Director Meg O’Leary today announced the award of $367,500 in grants to fund business expansion projects for two growing Missoula area businesses. The funds are being made available through the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund (BSTF).

“Public-private partnerships are key components to growing Montana’s economy,” said Bullock. “Every project funded through the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund is helping to create opportunities for today’s workforce and to build a stronger and more competitive economy.”

HELENA – Governor Steve Bullock and Montana Department of Commerce Director Meg O’Leary today announced the recent award of $698,091 in grants to eight research projects in Missoula, Billings, Bozeman and Belgrade. The funding is being made available through the Montana Board of Research and Commercialization Technology (MBRCT).

“These state-of-the-art projects will significantly and positively impact Montana’s opportunities for economic growth,” said Bullock. “Through investments in innovative research and commercialization, we’re not only supporting cutting-edge projects and jobs today, but we’re also helping to define what Montana’s economy looks like for years to come.”

The MBRCT supports economic development by investing in research projects that have a clear path to commercialization. The MBRCT has funded 216 research projects totaling $41 million since 2001.

HELENA – Three Montana cities have new resources for promoting travel to their areas after forming the state’s newest convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs).

Nonprofits in Belgrade, Gardiner and Livingston will receive state Lodging Facility Tax (also known as the bed tax) funds collected in fiscal year 2016 to promote tourism through a CVB. The Montana Office of Tourism (MTOT) works closely with CVBs to provide education and development resources, joint venture advertising opportunities and more.

“Tourism drives economic growth by supporting businesses and jobs across Montana,” Montana Department of Commerce Director Meg O’Leary said. “By forming a CVB, each of these cities will have new ways to increase the positive impacts of tourism in their communities. We welcome and look forward to working with them.”

HELENA – Governor Steve Bullock and Montana Department of Commerce Director Meg O’Leary announced the recent award of $500,000 to the City of Colstrip for construction costs associated with upgrades to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The Montana Coal Board made the award.

“A strong infrastructure is a critical piece of a strong economy. I am glad that we are able to support regional efforts to deal with the everyday impacts related to Montana’s coal industry through entities such as the Montana Coal Board,” said Bullock. “This is another example of Montana’s strong fiscal management assisting local economic development throughout our state.”

The City of Colstrip’s wastewater treatment plant is 37 years old, and has operated without substantial upgrades since 1978. A recent wastewater system Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) revealed several major deficiencies including inadequate pretreatment facilities and the lack of a redundant clarifier. These deficiencies create a health risk for operators, and hinder efforts to establish a successful maintenance and repair program.

The Montana Department of Commerce Community Development Division will begin accepting Montana Main Street project grant applications for the FY 2016 application cycle on September 1, 2015. The Montana Main Street Program guidelines can be accessed at http://mtmainstreet.mt.gov/application.mcpx.

The Montana Main Street Program awards grant funding to member communities on a competitive basis and as funding allows. Applications are evaluated by the Department of Commerce in the order that they are received and grants will be awarded on a continual basis until all funds are allocated. Funding can be used to address long range community planning and revitalization needs as well as more specific prioritized projects. Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate the implementation of larger community vision and goals or as they relate to previous or concurrent larger planning efforts (such as a downtown revitalization plan, growth policy, historic preservation plan, etc). If you have questions regarding the application process or guidelines, then please contact Montana Main Street staff at (406) 841-2770 or by email at docmtmainstreet@mt.gov.

On Friday, July 17, Montana Department of Commerce Director Meg O'Leary will participate in Montana Senator Jon Tester's Small Business Opportunity Workshop in Missoula. The workshop, titled "Hitting Your Stride: Turning a Montana Small Business into a Montana Success," will provide attendees with top-of-the-line resources. The event is free and open to the public.

HELENA – Governor Steve Bullock and Montana Department of Commerce Director Meg O’Leary today announced the recent award of $65,000 to support economic development efforts by the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes. The funds will support a Business Development Manager position, which will manage several projects critical to economic success on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.

“This grant will support efforts by the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes to continue to build and strengthen their regional economy,” said Bullock. “We are pleased to be able to support tribal entrepreneurial ventures, create and retain jobs, and further develop infrastructure on reservations.”

Available through the Indian Country Economic Development (ICED) program, Director O’Leary said the funds will help the tribes bring new and existing projects to fruition.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced that the State of Montana has made it to Phase 2 of the CDBG-NDR Competition. If the State is successful, these grant funds will provide a historic opportunity to help Montana communities address unmet recovery needs and increase long-term resiliency across Montana.

For Phase 2, the State will work with its partners to identify resilient projects in areas that have met thresholds set by HUD to be eligible for grant funding. In the coming days, the Department of Commerce will be in contact with all communities and partners that participated in the Phase 1 application process to discuss next steps. Additionally, the Department will be scheduling meetings, one-on-one outreach and technical workshops in the coming months, to further engage Montana communities in the CDBG-NDR process and overall resiliency efforts.

Helena, Mont. – Governor Steve Bullock today announced that more than 500 leaders in government, business, and academia from the northwest United States and western Canada will come together at the 25th Annual Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) Summit, July 12 – 16 in Big Sky, Montana. This is the first time the Summit will be held in Montana.

“It is an honor to host this large gathering of respected business and policy leaders from around the region right here in Montana,” said Bullock. “I look forward to sharing Montana’s economic and policy achievements with our neighbors, learning from their accomplishments, and working together to increase collaboration on critical issues that transcend our regional boundaries.”